James I. Dougherty is a partner at and co-founder of Dungey Dougherty PLLC, admitted to practice law in the State of Connecticut and the State of New York. He is a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC) and is a member of its Legal Education Committee.

In his practice, he assists executors and beneficiaries alike through all aspects of the estate administration process including probate, contested estates, contentious trust litigation, tax, and post-mortem estate planning issues. His practice also includes working with affluent individuals in the development and implementation of sophisticated planning techniques to help them
accumulate, preserve, and transfer their wealth. James is a frequent author and speaker on estate, trust, tax, and probate matters.

He authored the LexisNexis Practice Guide: Connecticut Probate and Estate Administration and has been published in Trusts & Estates, Bloomberg BNA Estates, Gifts, & Trusts Journal, STEP Journal, ACTEC Law Journal, Probate & Property, as well as other publications. He is also an Editorial Board Member for Trust & Estates.

James is an adjunct professor at the University of Connecticut School of Law where he teaches Trusts & Estates and at Quinnipiac University School of Law where he teaches Estate & Gift Taxation. He serves as a member of the Probate Court Rules Advisory Committee that assists the Probate Court Administrator in developing the rules of procedure for the Connecticut Probate Courts.

James is the Vice-Chair of the Estates & Probate Section of the Connecticut Bar Association. He is a past Trusts & Estates Fellow for the Real Property, Trust & Estate Law Section of the American Bar Association for 2016–2018 and ACTEC Dennis I Belcher Young Leader.

He earned his B.A. in History & Policy, Phi Beta Kappa, from Carnegie Mellon University and his J.D. degree, cum laude, from William & Mary School of Law.